Speaking outside of court after the judge told him he was free to go, Simon said: “I feel elated, exhausted, delighted, exuberant, ecstatic, and so joyous.”

Later he talked to the Middy more about his arrest on September 10 last year and his subsequent journey through the British legal system.

“I was arrested for ‘wilfully ignoring three police officers attempting to read me Section 14 of the public order Act’, in effect asking me to move from where I was standing singing on the side of the road in front of the gates to the drilling site to the other side of the road to a designated protest area,” said Simon.

“I was leading people in song - I was holding a microphone of a loud hailer, and I was belting out lyrics to the alterative version of Jerusalem which I wrote, followed by the lyrics to the alternative version to God Save the Queen.” (see below)

While locked is a holding cell for seven hours at Crawley Police Station Simon wrote a poem (reproduced below).

“My legal council advised me to recite the poem to CID during my exit interview later the same day, and to answer ‘no comment’ to every other question asked.

“I followed his instructions.”

The trial took place over three days from March 18 to 20, with final judgement taking place yesterday (May 1, 2014).

Simon continued: “I was acquitted by a judge who when he met me really didn’t believe in matters of the heart, but during my acquittal today said that I was a most unusual defendant in the nicest possible way and although he struggled to understand what it meant to be in a bubble singing from my heart-space to the degree where I genuinely couldn’t recognise three officers attempting to speak to me - but by the time we were done he said he had to concede that I probably was telling the truth, even though it was completely outside of his regular understanding, which is quite extraordinary.”

Reflecting on the past seven months further, Simon added: “From a legal point of view totally bizarre; from a financial point a view a spectacular waste of money; from an emotional and spiritual point of view an incredible adventure that I would never choose to have had happen to me; and from a heart-based point of view an affirmation that the truth does really set oneself free.”

Around 125 people were arrested during the course of the demonstrations at the Lower Stumble well-site, Balcombe last summer - the majority of whom have been cleared of any wrongdoing in subsequent court proceedings.

The cost of the Sussex Police operation was in excess of £4 million.

This week, West Sussex County Council, granted permission for Cuadrilla to commence new works in the village to test-flow the well.

However, the energy firm has stated it does not intend to use the controversial process of hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, at the Balcombe well.

What do you think? Leave a comment below, or email Letters to middy.news@jpress.co.uk

----

SIMON’S POEM: Arrested for Singing (written while in custody at Crawley Police Station)

Today I was arrested for the power of my voice.

I didn’t get arrested by design or wilful choice.

They arrested me for singing with my blessed heart and soul.

Do they understand that freedom for humanity’s my goal?

They say I was arrested for ignoring what they said.

But that wasn’t how it happened in my heart or in my head.

I was standing in the crowd when the music set me free,

And in that heightened state let me explain what I could see:

Three men standing near me in the bustle and the noise

As we sang for hope and freedom: I was singing with the boys!

I looked into their eyes and I sang with all my heart,

And in that breath I saw that we’d been brothers from the start.

I did not see their helmets, did not register their word.

The lyrics and vibration of the anthem’s all I heard.

I did not see their authorship. All I saw was kin

And my heart confirmed this truth and welcomed these three brothers in.

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